Prudence watched Samantha recede into the distance. She didn't understand what had caused her friend to get angry and run away. Wendell started to brush past her until she grabbed his arm. "We have to stay here and wait for her," Prudence said. The two of them going out on their own and getting lost wouldn't do any good right now. With so many dangers in this unfamiliar world, they were better off waiting for Samantha.
"We can't let her go off alone," Wendell said. "She could get hurt." He wasn't about to leave Samantha out there by herself to get crushed by an automobile or something worse. He couldn't live with himself if anything bad happened to her. Of course stupid Prudence would want to stay here on her fat butt.
"She'll be fine. She can take care of herself." Prudence didn't really believe this. From what she'd seen of this place so far there were hidden dangers lurking around every corner. Still, Samantha was better equipped to survive in this environment than either of them. "I'm sure she won't be long. In the meantime, there's no sense in us getting lost."
Wendell squirmed in Prudence's grasp, but her stubby fingers kept hold of his arm. "Let go of me!" he shouted.
"Calm down. Samantha will be fine." She steered Wendell over to a wooden bench to sit down. She kept hold of Wendell's arm so he didn't run away and get into more trouble. "After all she's been through on Eternity, this should be easy," Prudence said, trying to sound cheerful.
"Something bad's going to happen to her. How can you sit here and let it happen?" Wendell said.
"She told us to wait here for herself or Mr. Pryde and that's what we're going to do. Whether you like it or not."
"You're just scared," Wendell said. "You're too scared to go anywhere by yourself. That's how much you care about her."
"Samantha told us to wait. If she finds out we've disobeyed her, she'll get mad at us. You don't want that to happen, do you?" Prudence said.
Wendell considered this. As much as he worried about Samantha's safety, he didn't want her to get angry with him for disobeying her. She might hate him after that. He couldn't bear for Samantha to hate him. "You're right," he said.
"Good, I'm glad that's settled." Prudence let go of Wendell's arm and then heaved herself off the bench. She wanted to get a better look at the Designs by Suzie shop. Looking in the window wouldn't violate Samantha's orders.
She pressed her face against the display window for Designs by Suzie. Never in her life had she seen anything so wonderful as what she saw through that window. Clothes of every color in so many shapes, more than she could have ever imagined. How could one person have possibly made them all? She had to go in and find out. Samantha could see her through the store windows if she happened to come back while Prudence was inside.